JPH04226777A - Method and device for locating print head of printer through control program - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To facilitate positioning of a print head by moving a print head toward a basic position after it is moved to recede therefrom when a driver is connected and detecting and storing the basic position when the print head arrives at a basic position communicator. CONSTITUTION: A print head 1 is moved in the direction 9 to recede from a basic position 10 in order to determine a new basic position 8 when a print head carriage driver 3 is connected and then it is returned in the opposite direction 11 toward the new basic position 8 into the region of a basic position communicator 12. When the print head 1 arrives at the basic position communicator 12, the basic position 8 is detected and stored in a memory 13. If the print head 1 happens to exist in the region of the basic position communicator 12 when the print head carriage driver 3 is connected, it is fed therefrom by an amount corresponding to a specified number of characters, intervals and steps and then returned in the opposite direction 11 to the basic position communicator 12.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a control program in which a line length given in advance and fixed to a maximum within a certain number range in terms of characters, spacing, steps, etc. is stored in a control program. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for positioning the print head of a printing device via a control program, during which the print head is moved to a final or zero position.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This positioning is the basis for the printing operation, for example in dot matrix printing devices or wire dot matrix printing devices. In this case, the printing device is configured such that it can print, for example, the maximum line length with the maximum number of characters in one line. The control program must take into account the resulting printer width from the maximum line length. From a zero position at the left end of the available printhead movement range, printhead movement is controlled for printing one line corresponding to the individual characters, underlying matrix, spacing, steps, and ultimately the printer width. Ru. Certain control programs are required for certain printer widths. This allows parameters such as spacing in a line, line length in inches, and maximum printhead travel to be fixed.

It is known to implement in each known printing device a control program for a given printing device width. However, since the printing devices are not constructed individually but as a series, it is necessary to create a control program for the printing device that is suitable for the printing device. In this case, therefore, multiple control devices for printing devices of different widths must be developed. Each control program must take into account one width-matching parameter. Therefore, such operations require a great deal of effort in developing, maintaining, manufacturing and storing these different control modules. This effort and the associated uneconomical costs increase as the size of one printing device series increases.

0004

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a control module that has all the control parameters that exist in one product series, and to select from this control module the parameters that match the respective printing device. A method and apparatus for positioning the print head is proposed, in which case the print head is first brought to a base position and the base position is detected independently of the width of the printer, and then the width of the printer is detected. It's about doing.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] According to the present invention, the print head is moved from its position in a direction away from the base position in order to determine the base position when the print head carriage drive device is connected and connected. is then moved in the opposite direction towards the base position until it enters the area of the base position annunciator and the base position is detected and stored in memory by the print head reaching the base position annunciator. This is solved by This method is only one
This can be implemented using one location reporting device.

The randomness of the respective position of the print head is considered as follows. That is, if the printhead happens to be in the area of the base position indicator when the printhead carriage drive is switched on, then from this instantaneous position the printhead will initially move to a predetermined number of characters, spacing,
It is moved by a step out of the area of the base position transmitter and then in the opposite direction back into the area of the base position transmitter. In this case as well, it is advantageous if the basic position of the print head is reached precisely each time the printing device is switched on.

Positioning of the printhead is performed after the printhead carriage drive is connected together with the printing device. Additionally, the control program can carry out such basic position detection at any time.

Other positions of the print head are determined as follows. That is, the print head is moved from a predetermined base position by a predetermined first number of characters, intervals, steps toward a side wall of the printer located opposite the base position side of the printer, where the first number The character, spacing, and step widths are set wider than in printing devices with a narrow width (DIN A4) and smaller than in printing devices with a wide width (DIN A3), and from the reversal position of the printhead, the printhead is A number of characters, intervals, steps are moved in the opposite direction toward the base position, where a second number of characters, intervals, steps have a width of a first number of characters, intervals,
the printhead detects the printer width by reaching or not reaching the base position annunciator, and then by the control program:
All width-dependent parameters are stored in read-only memory and/or made available via control codes stored in read-only memory.

The advantage is that it is possible to detect which printing device in a printing device series it is, even though the same control module is used. After detecting the printer width, the printer aligns itself to its corresponding control program. There is only one control module for all printing devices of one printing device series, thus reducing development, maintenance, manufacturing and storage efforts.

The device for positioning the print head of the printing device described above is provided with only one base position indicator for the selected base position in the internal area of both side walls of the printing device, and a control program. Accordingly, all width-dependent parameters are stored in a read-only memory or made available via control codes stored in a read-only memory.

In this case, it is advantageous if the basic position indicator consists of a switch, a light barrier or a Hall sensor, which has an arbitrary physical position between the two side walls of the printing device.

A solution is also possible in which a movement reporting device is provided instead of the basic position reporting device. The motion reporting device is a disc encoder or a linear encoder with a pair of photoelectric elements.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the test program checks for the presence of a control code stored in a read-only memory when the printing device is connected. This control code determines whether the width of the printing device has already been determined or what type of printer it is.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. It is possible to move between the side walls 4 and 5 in directions 9 and 11.

In this embodiment, the printing device 2 has a print head carriage 3 and a base position indicator 12 without a movement reporting device (ie without a clock disk with a photovoltaic cell pair or a clock ruler with a corresponding detection device). shown as something.

The travel (printing device width) 15 that the print head carriage 6 can travel is divided into characters (character matrix), intervals, and steps, which are used by the control program 7 for controlling the movement of the print head. It is self-evident that determining the base position 8 can be done at any time, or even at the same time as switching on the printing device 2 by actuating the power switch of the printing device. The base position 8 of the printhead 1 is stored in a write/read memory 13 and the determined printer width is stored in a write-only memory 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the base position indicator 12 consists of a switch, a light barrier or a Hall sensor. A movement reporting device may be provided instead of the basic position reporting device 12. The motion reporting device can also be formed by a circular decoder with a pair of photovoltaic cells or a linear decoder with a corresponding detection device. When using a motion reporting device, the basic position of the print head 1 can be obtained by moving the print head 1 in any direction until the motion reporting signal is no longer transmitted.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the print head carriage drive 3 is connected, the print head 1 is moved to the basic position side in the direction 9 in order to determine the new basic position 8 determined at the time of the connection. 10 and then in the opposite direction 11 to the actual and correct base position 8
It is then moved back towards the base position informer 12 into the area of the basic position transmitter 12. Upon reaching the basic position reporting device 12, the basic position 8 is detected and stored in the memory 13.

If the print head 1 happens to be in the area of the basic position indicator 12 when the print head carriage drive 3 is turned on, the print head 1 is moved (eg 10
) a predetermined number of characters, intervals, steps are first moved out of the area of the base position indicator 12 and then in the opposite direction 1
1, it is returned to the basic position reporting device 12.

It is self-evident that the switching on of the print head carriage drive 3 can take place together with the switching on of the printing device 2, ie by actuating the power switch of the printing device.

The print head 1 can be moved to other positions as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The print head 1 is moved from a predetermined base position 8 by a predetermined first number of characters, intervals, steps in a direction 9 towards a printer side wall 5 located opposite the base position side 10 of the printer 2a. , where the numbers for characters, spacing, and steps are
Larger and wider width (DIN A3 = 297 m) than the printing device 2a which has a narrower width (DIN A4 = 210 mm)
m) is smaller than the printing device 2b having From the respective reversal position of the print head 1, the print head 1 is moved in the opposite direction 11 by a second number of characters, intervals, steps, towards the basic position 8, with the second number of characters, intervals, The step is narrower than the first number of characters, the spacing, the width of the step, so the printhead 1 detects the printer width. The control program 7 then stores all width-dependent parameters in the memory 14.

In this embodiment, the printing device 2 with the printhead carriage drive 3 does not have a motion reporting device. The print head carriage drive 3 consists of a stepping motor. The stepper motor takes 60 steps to shift the print head 1 by 1 inch (25.4 mm). An 8-inch printing device width of 15 corresponds to 480 steps of the stepping motor.

The print head 1, whose print width 15 is now detected as 13.6 inches or 8.0 inches, is moved to the base position as described above. It is then moved from the base position by 500 steps in order to detect the print width 15. At this time, the travel distance of the print head carriage 6 exceeds the width of the printing device 2a by 8 inches (FIG. 3). Therefore, the print head carriage 6 collides with the side wall 5 of the printing device on the way, and 5
00-480=20 steps are not moved, but the control program counts this extra 20 steps as executed steps. The print head 1 then moves in the opposite direction 1
1, it is moved back 490 steps toward base position 8. If the print head 1 reaches the base position indicator 12 in 480 steps during this movement, the print device width 15=8
Inches. The extra 20 steps are lost on the printer sidewall 5. If the print head 1 does not reach the basic position but is located 20 steps forward, the print device width 15=13.
6 inches (Figure 4).

Once the width parameters obtained, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, have been detected, they are transmitted to a write-only memory 14 consisting of an EEPROM chip. Additionally, the control code representing the success or result of the test is E.
Stored in EPROM. Based on this, the control program 7 automatically grasps the configuration of the printing device when the printing device is connected. Therefore, only one control program is required for all printer widths of one printer series.

A special test program, which is part of the control program 7, starts checking the control codes in the memory 14 when the printing device 2 is switched on. Once the correct code is found, the printing device 2 is initialized with the stored parameters. Next, printing device 2
operates as a programmed width printer. If the code is detected as erroneous, the checks described in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4 are performed.

Control of the printing device 2 is matched to each printing device width when the control program 7 is provided. This means that the control program 7 can be used for any of the printing devices of one series, which greatly facilitates manufacturing and servicing, since only the control module (control program) needs to be maintained. It is from.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block circuit diagram of the entire device.

FIG. 2 is a principle diagram of a printing device for positioning a print head in a basic position;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the principle of print head positioning for detecting a narrow printing device.

FIG. 4 is a principle diagram of the positioning of the print head for detecting wide printing devices of the same printing device series;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Print head 2 Printing device 3 Print head carriage drive device 4, 5 Printing device side wall 6 Print head carriage 7 Control program 8 Base position 9 Direction of print head movement 10　Foundation position side 11 Direction of print head movement 12 Basic position notification device 13 Write/read memory 14 Write-only memory 15 Printing device width

Claims (9)

[Claims] Claim 1: A line length given in advance and fixed at a maximum within a certain number range for characters, spacing, steps, etc. is stored in a control program and printed via this control program. In the method of positioning the print head of the device and in which the print head is moved to a final or zero position, the print head (1) is placed in the basic position (1) when the print head carriage drive (3) is connected.
8) the print head is moved from its position in direction (9) towards (10) away from the base position (9);
It is then moved in the opposite direction (11) towards the base position (8) until it enters into the area of the base position annunciator (12) and the print head (1) is moved towards the base position annunciator (12).
A method for positioning a print head of a printing device via a control program, characterized in that a base position (8) is detected and stored in a memory (13) by reaching . [Claim 2] Print head carriage drive device (3)
The print head (1) is first moved a predetermined number of characters, intervals, steps from the instantaneous position it assumes in the area of the base position annunciator (12) when the base position annunciator (12) is connected. 2. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the printing device is moved out of the area of the position transmitter (12) and then returned in the opposite direction (11) towards the basic position transmitter (12). method for positioning the print head. [Claim 3] Print head carriage drive device (3)
3. Method for positioning a print head of a printing device via a control program according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the input connection of the printing device (2) is carried out together with the input connection of the printing device (2). 4. The print head (1) is located at a predetermined base position (
8) by a predetermined first number of characters, intervals, steps in the direction (9) towards the printing device side wall (5) located opposite the base position side (10) of the printing device (2). and the width of the first number of characters, spacing, and step is narrow width (D
IN A4) larger than the printing device (2a),
It is smaller than the printing device (2b) with a wide width (DIN A3) and each time from the reversal position (14) of the print head (1) the print head (1) only takes a second number of characters, spacing and steps. moved in the opposite direction (11) towards the base position (8), the second number of characters, spaces, steps are narrower in width than the width of the first number of characters, spaces, steps, and the print head (1) by detecting the printer width (15) by the arrival or non-arrival of the base position annunciator (12) and then by the control program (7) all width-dependent parameters are stored in a read-only memory (
14) or read-only memory (14)
positioning the print head of the printing device via a control program according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control program is enabled via a control code stored in the control program; method for. 5. The print head is capable of being moved reciprocatingly between the printer side walls of the printer frame by a predetermined line length by a print head carriage drive device, and the print head can be moved reciprocally by a predetermined line length by a print head carriage drive device, and the print head can be moved reciprocally by a predetermined line length between the printer side walls of the printer frame, and the print head can be moved reciprocally by a predetermined line length by a print head carriage drive device. A device for positioning the print head of a printing device, in which a control program is provided for positioning a selected base position ( 8) only one base position annunciator (1
2) and by means of the control program (7) all width-dependent parameters are stored in the read-only memory (14) or available via control codes stored in the read-only memory. A device for positioning a print head of a printing device, characterized in that: 6. The basic position indicator (12) consists of a switch, a light barrier or a Hall sensor having an arbitrary physical position between the two side walls (4, 5) of the printing device. 5. A device for positioning the print head of the printing device according to 5. 7. Device for positioning the print head of a printing device according to claim 5, characterized in that a movement notification device is provided in place of the base position notification device (12). 8. Claim 7, characterized in that the movement reporting device is formed from a circular encoder with a pair of photovoltaic cells or a linear encoder with a corresponding detection device.
A device for positioning the print head of the printing device described in . Claim 9: Printing device (2) according to the test program.
), the presence of a control code stored in the read-only memory can be checked when the printer is connected. A device for positioning the print head.